Man Charged With Using Retired Police Officer's Social Security Number To Obtain Veteran's Benefits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 28, 2006

Las Vegas, Nev. – The Federal Grand Jury has indicted a man on identity theft charges for hijacking the identity of a retired Missouri police officer and using it to obtain pension and medical benefits from the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

James Lawrence Redmond, aka John K. Halim, of Las Vegas, Nevada, age 61, was indicted on Wednesday, September 27, 2006, and charged with one count of identity theft and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison on the identity theft charge and an additional consecutive two-year period of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge, plus a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

According to the Indictment, from about June 1, 2003, to September 1, 2006, Redmond used the Social Security Number of another person, John K. Halim, to obtain money and healthcare benefits and funds from the VA in the approximate amount of $90,158.

The case is being investigated by the Office of the Inspector General for the Veteran's Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kurt P. Schulke.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.